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Springbok captain Moerat and assistant coach Stick not underestimating Italy

Springbok captain Moerat and assistant coach Stick not underestimating Italy

TimesLIVEa day ago
Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick say they will need to 'fight fire with fire' in the second Incoming Series Test against Italy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday.
Boks coach Rassie Erasmus was not entirely happy with the 42-24 win last weekend at Loftus Versfeld where they took their feet off the pedal after they comfortably led 28-3 at halftime.
'They are a very physical team, so it's going to be a massive game,' said Moerat.
'We are certainly not underestimating them. They are a passionate side that are mainly formed from two clubs. So, they have been playing together for a while, and they pride themselves on their set pieces.
'They also have quality backs with a good kicking game and they showed real fight at the breakdowns last week, so we have to fight fire with fire.'
Stick shared Moerat's sentiments.
'Last week we started with good intensity, but they bounced back strongly in the second half. It's clear how much they have grown since the Six Nations, where they also delivered a few quality performances.
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